Anti-graft bodies swoop on city fathers
MOSES MATENGA
AT least four Harare City Council officials and 13 councillors are facing arrest over allegations of attempting to siphon millions of dollars in a dubious US$868 million Chinese loan deal.
The Special Anti-Corruption Unit in the Office of the President (Sacu) is probing suspended town clerk Hosea Chisango, acting chamber secretary, Charles Kandemiri, acting finance director Stanley Ndemera and acting Harare water director Mabhena Moyo.
Councillors under investigation include Kudzai Kadzombe, Stewart Mutizwa and Luckson Mukunguma.
Documents at hand show that councillors sat jointly as the Environment Management Committee and the Finance Committee to endorse an alleged fraudulent report from the town clerk’s office.
SW Radio
THE Zimbabwean government has suspended an opposition party mayor, his deputy and a councillor in the country’s capital city, Harare, following allegations that they illegally distributed land to their relatives and friends.
In separate letters to Mayor Jacob Mafume, Deputy Mayor Luckson Mukunguma and councillor Anthony Shingadeya, Acting Local Government Minister Jenfan Muswere claimed that the trio violated some provisions of the Urban Councils Act.
Muswere claimed in the letters that a special investigation team has established that they engaged in the land scam.
Mafume, Mukunguma and Shingadeya claim that they are being abused by the state, which wants to install a Zanu PF-leaning commission in Harare.
MDC Alliance Says Harare Has Gone to The Dogs After Suspension of Mayor, 23 Other Councillors
January 29, 2021
Gibbs Dube
FILE: Supporters of Zimbabwe s main opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa listen to his speech at a gathering in Harare, Tuesday, Jan, 21, 2020.
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MARYLAND
The opposition Movement for Democratic Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa says the Harare City Council has been crippled by the government following the suspension of Mayor Jacob Mafume, his deputy and other councillors.
Reacting to yesterday’s suspension of Mafume, his deputy Luckson Mukunguma and councilor Anthony Shingadeya by Acting Local Government Minister Jenfan Muswere over claims that they violated some provisions of the Urban Councils Act, the party’s secretary for local government, Sesil Zvidzai, described the situation as “very concerning”, adding that Harare has “gone to the dogs”.
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume
Acting Local Government minister Jenfan Muswere has reinstated three Harare councillors, namely Mayor Jacob Mafume, Luckson Mukunguma and Anthony Shingadeya, after suspending them on allegations of facilitating the illegal allocation of land.
The trio was suspended with 3 other councillors on allegations of gross incompetence and misconduct of duty.
The six were facing criminal charges involving abuse of office.
Mafume was arrested by the Special Anti-Corruption Unit (SACU) working together with the Police Anti-Corruption Unit on allegations of trying to bribe a potential key State witness in his forthcoming trial on corruption-related charges involving the allocation of two stands, barely six days after being granted bail by the High Court and a few hours after sailing through a routine remand.
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